Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Christine Young Presents Uneasy Lies the Crown

N. Gemini will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a a $20 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly drawn host.

Don't forget to leave a comment.

Uneasy Lies the Crown, a novel of Owain Glyndwr

by N. Gemini Sasson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

For centuries, the bards have sung of King
Arthur’s return, but is this reluctant warrior prince the answer to those
prophecies?

In
the year 1399, Welsh nobleman Owain Glyndwr is living out a peaceful
gentleman’s life in the Dee Valley of Wales with his wife Margaret and their
eleven children. But when Henry of Bolingbroke, the Duke of Lancaster, usurps
the throne of England from his cousin Richard II, that tranquility is forever
shattered. What starts as a feud with a neighboring English lord over a strip
of land evolves into something greater—a fight for the very independence of
Wales.

Leading
his crude army of Welshmen against armor-clad columns of English, Owain wins
key victories over his enemies. After a harrowing encounter on the misty slopes
of Cadair Idris, the English knight Harry Hotspur offers Owain a pact he cannot
resist.

Peace,
however, comes with a price. As tragedies mount, Owain questions whether he can
find the strength within himself not only to challenge the most powerful
monarch of his time, but to fulfill the prophecies and lead his people to
freedom without destroying those around him.

Excerpt:

Owain
shook her, his voice full of anger. “Damn it! Let him burn this house. Let him
level every stone for miles. I will not have you all dead or taken captive.”
All at once, the harsh lines in his face went soft. “Tudur and Rhys came not an
hour ago directly from Ruthin. Grey’s forces were gathering there. Far more men
than he had sworn to limit himself to bringing here. And I doubt he was headed
back to Scotland anytime soon. We are all in grave danger. I haven’t the means
to keep him from taking this place, if that is his intent.”

“Then
we shall all go to Wrexham,” Margaret pleaded. “John and Phillip will help us.
You can plead your case with the king or... or some other great lord. Surely
there is one who will support you?”

“And
put your brothers’ lives at risk? Henry cares not one whit for my case. He has
already proven that. Grey is his pet who may take whatever scraps he can wrest
from us as reward for his loyalty. No, we must save ourselves first. Save the
children.”

Margaret
shook her head. The reality was too bitter to accept, the implications too
far-reaching, the future too uncertain. “What then? When will I see you again?
Where will you go?”

“I...
I don’t know when. And as for where, perhaps it’s best you don’t know.”

He
pressed her hands together between his and then kissed the ends of her fingers.

Margaret
stood as motionless and mute as a cairn battered by a terrible storm. Minutes
passed before she realized that Owain had walked off and her children and
servants were scurrying past her, urging her to hurry.

N. Gemini Sasson is the
author of six historical novels set in 14th and 15th century Scotland, England
and Wales, including The Bruce Trilogy and Isabeau, A Novel of Queen Isabella
and Sir Roger Mortimer (2011 IPPY Silver Medalist in Historical Fiction). Her
latest release is Uneasy Lies the Crown, A Novel of Owain Glyndwr. Long after
writing about Robert the Bruce and Queen Isabella, Sasson learned she is a
descendant of both.

Wow, I thought I was getting here early, but I see a few of you have already beat me to the party!

Gala - thanks for the question. Yes, there's one scene towards the end where Owain tells Margaret he has to leave to muster help. Realizing they don't know how long this parting will last or even if Owain will be successful in his task, they set aside their differences and reflect on all they've shared. It shows that true love isn't made in a moment of passion, but over many years and trials.

Hi Emiliana! What's intriguing to me are all the interpretations on the King Arthur legend. In this story, the prophecy that King Arthur will return and deliver Wales comes into play, but even Owain takes some convincing that he is the legend reborn. I think his humility is a big part of his appeal.